The present invention is directed to the field of wells such as water wells, and is more specifically directed to a method and apparatus for effecting an opening in the well casing of such a well which is surrounded by grouting in the form of a wall of cement or the like.
For wells such as water wells which are sunk vertically into the ground, the state laws of the various states require that the casing of the well be surrounded by grouting in the form of a cylindrical wall of cement or the like to a depth below the horizontal take-off pipe, the exact depth and width of the grouting being determined by the law of the particular state. Heretofore, it has been necessary to effect the connection between the horizontal take-off pipe and the vertical pipe of the well by first drilling through the cement grouting at the location where the horizontal take-off pipe is to be placed, and then drilling an opening through the pipe casing. It is not sufficient to drill straight through the grouting into the interior of the well casing, as an adapter having a diameter larger than that of the opening is commonly used on the outside of the well casing to effect the connection between the horizontal take-off pipe and the vertical pipe. Therefore, an area having a diameter larger than both the opening to be made in the well casing and the adapter must be cleared in the cement wall, and then the opening must be drilled in the well casing. This procedure is time-consuming and requires special tools and is therefore expensive. A further complication is that several different, standard sizes of pipe, e.g. 5 inches and 8 inches, can be used for the well casing. It is the solution of this and other problems which the present invention is directed.